In brass-wind musical instruments, sounds are initially produced by players pressing their lips against bell-shaped mouthpieces and blowing into the mouthpieces while maintaining their lips in a rigid configuration. The air passing through the rigid lips of the players causes the skin of the lip to resonate thereby resulting in a concentric column of air comprising a “buzzing” sound. As this column of buzzing air passes into the instrument, it flows through a series of tubes and valves comprising the instrument wherein it is amplified before it exits from the bell portion of the instrument thereby creating a tone. It is the series of sharp turns within the valves and tubes that generally alter the consistency of the density of the air column and have a negative effect to the tone and the intonation.
The negative effects resulting from the numerous deficiencies in current brass-wind instruments have been necessary evils due to the currently widely accepted designs. While minor changes have been proposed to improve brass-wind instruments, musicians have had little choice but to “live with” and play music with the current designs.
To alter the tones emanating from the instrument, players will adjust the rigidity of their lips, press a series of valves and/or adjust any of the tuning pipes in the instrument. Adjusting the rigidity of the lips alters the initial pitch of the column of air prior to its entering the instrument. Depressing the valves can operate to elongate the column of air resonating through the instrument thus resulting in differing notes. Adjusting any of the tuning pipes operates to fine-tune the instrument by combining the proper pitch with the proper valve configuration and the proper tuning; players are able to play specific notes and thus music.
Current brass-wind instruments are generally adequate for producing the desired music; however, there is always room to improve the quality of sound produced. Most of the drawbacks to current brass-wind instrument sounds find their genesis in undesirable inconsistencies of the density within the concentric column of air flowing through the instrument. These inconsistencies in the column of air can originate from a number of causes.
Brass-wind instruments such as, for example, the trumpet, comprises valve sections consisting of valves in separate valve chambers. These valve chambers are generally connected to one another by way of soldered or brazed brass tubes. There are at least three defects inherent in this design that causes impedance in the flow of the column of air traveling through the instrument leading to an interruption of the positive vortex, thereby resulting in an imperfect sound.
First, due to the distance between the valve chambers, there is a size restriction on the valve. With this size restriction, pistons have restricted air channels caused by two air channels occupying the same general area in the piston valve. Because any connection of the air channels in the valve would effectively rend the instrument useless, one of the valves must have impedance. As a result, one of the conflicting air channels is required to have a shape comprising impedance. This impedance generally comprises a bubble shape located in the air channel. Such impedance in the air channel operates to disrupt the positive vortices of the column of air thus negatively altering its sound.
Another defect that causes a disruption of the column of air comes as a result of the method of connecting the valve chambers to each other, as well as the remainder of the instrument. Where two tubes are connected, often a sharp ridge or edge operates to disrupt the flow of the air column causing additional impedance in sound. Because tubes are soldered or braised, the connection resulting from the manufacture of the instrument is often less than perfect. This causes a negative effect on the positive vortices, thereby resulting in a diminished sound.
Additional defects inherent in the size of the valve section are the odd shapes and sharp bends of the tubes connecting the valve chambers to one another. As the column of air passes through the instrument, it is desirable to have a perfectly smooth transition throughout. Odd shapes and sharp bends can hinder the desired smooth transition and impede the sound. Sharp bends are not limited to the valve sections as there are many sharp bends in brass-wind instruments that can act to disrupt or impede the flow of the column of air created by the player. For example, the tuning tubes that operate to elongate the column of air often have sharp 180° bends that further impede the sound created by the player. With these defects in mind, there has long been a desire in the brass-wind instrument industry to improve the quality of sound.
Apparatus for tuning instruments in an attempt to overcome many sound deficiencies are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,342 to Reeves discloses an adjustable piston valve having a mechanical means for continuous adjustment of the upstroke and down stroke of the valve. The adjustment means can be used to tune the instrument for improved play and sound.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,020 to Happe discloses a method of constructing a brass-wind instrument comprising a lead pipe having an increased taper. The gradually increased taper results in a more pure column of air thereby creating an improved sound.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,276,804 and 4,512,233, both to Holland disclose pitch adjusters attached in series with the tubes comprising the instrument. The pitch adjusters operate to change the length of the column of air to fine tune the instrument.
With all of these inventions furthering the state of the brass-wind instrument art, there is still a need to remedy the inherent defects in currently accepted designs that cause an impedance in sound due to the undesired changes and inconsistencies in the density of the air column. Accordingly, improvements to current brass-wind instruments are both desirable and possible. The following describes such improvements.